FRIENDLY FIXTURE
SATURDAY 17TH JULY, 2004
HITCHIN TOWN 0 (0) SPURS XI 1 (0)

Scorer:-
Dawkins, 90

Referee:- Mr. M. Russell

Attendance:- Est. 200

Teams:-
Hitchin (4-4-2) Starting line-up only:- Wilmot; Barr, McCullough, Burke (Capt..), Buffey; Jaggard, Evans, Scott, Bridge; Sozzo, Hay

I apologise to Hitchin fans for any mis-spellings, and the lack of information re. substitutions. This was due to so many changes, and some players changing shirts etc. Tony Galvin's son - Tom did appear as number 4 during the second half.

Spurs (4-4-2):- Eyre (sub Forecast, 64); Kyriacou, Mills, Welch (sub Stevens, 53), Wright (Capt.); Barcham (sub Heller, 67), Lee, Lewis (sub Mascarenas, 62), Daniels; Seanla (sub Dawkins, 62), Maghoma

The meagre size of the crowd indicated that not too many locals were fooled by the billing of a Spurs XI, and perhaps were aware that the first team squad was still in Sweden. If you intend to see the Spurs XI at forthcoming friendlies at Chesham, Leyton (NOT ORIENT), and Harlow, then this is the core of the team you will see, although they may be boosted by a few reserves from the squad returning from Sweden.

Despite the fact that the winning goal did not arrive till the last minute, there were one or two notable reasons for viewing this work-out. Firstly, there was the debut in Spurs colours of Leigh Mills, signed from Swindon for what could eventually turn out to be a £1 million deal. Mills is tall, lean and strong, playing at centre-back, and demonstrated all too readily just why he was such an attraction to the Spurs management team. He hardly put a foot wrong, and passed well too. It is worth noting that the Spurs youngsters were playing against several mature footballers, who with Hitchin have earnt a promotion from the Isthmian League to the Southern league, now just one level below the Conference.

For me, the other highlight was the introduction of little Danny Stevens, who soon drew admiring gasps and cheers from those watching, who thought he was no more than 14. Spurs had spent most of the first half sending long balls over the midfield, aimed at Barcham and Seanla in particular, whose pace usually put the home defence under pressure. These tactics were not bringing an end result though, and late in the first half, Maghoma played deeper, which seems to suit him, allowing Barcham to advance more. Once Stevens was introduced, there seemed to be more creativity and passing in the middle, and as the game opened up, Spurs looked more likely to score.

Spurs had won an early corner, collected well under pressure by goalkeeper Wilmot, who I believe formerly played for Stevenage. Then in the fourth minute, Hitchin striker Hay (number 9) went close with a hooked effort from close range that went over Eyre's bar, after a cross from the left had been knocked back in from beyond the back post. There was little goalmouth action though. Daniels fired a low 25 yard free kick straight at the keeper after 16 minutes, but then failed dismally after Barcham beat the offside flag with a race down the right, before crossing for Daniels, who fluffed his shot missing the target completely.

It was Daniels again in the 35th minute, who fired over, after Kyriacou sent a great ball down the line for Maghoma, whose cross eventually reached the left winger. Just before the break, Hitchin's defence was in disarray, as Spurs got the ball into the box with a number of short passes, before Barcham's left foot shot was saved well by Wilmot with his legs.

After the break, Hitchin introduced a number of subs, and it would be impossible for me to relate accurately, who was playing. I can say though that one Tom Galvin wore the number 4 shirt, playing in midfield, then at centre-back. Galvin (who I understand to be Tony's son) did nothing that I can report as being of note. Stevens was introduced in the 53rd minute, replacing Welch, who had taken a knock in the first half. Charlie Lee fell back to join Mills. Good work from Barcham on the inside right channel won the ball and allowed Seanla to get to the bye line, crossing for Maghoma who miscued and fired well over the target.

An hour had passed, when Stevens received the ball from skipper Wright, and with great panache, sent it round the Hitchin player, racing round him to collect and accurately pass down the left wing. The cross led to a half-chance which came to nought, but Stevens had woken the crowd up, and they watched him like a hawk thereafter.

Fifteen minutes before the end, Stevens took a corner on the right, and Lee rose to head powerfully across the goal, but wide. In the last minute, it was Stevens who started the winning move, sending Daniels away. Daniels had beaten the keeper with his shot, and the ball was goal-bound anyway, but Dawkins made the killer touch to claim the goal, to send Spurs fans away with a smile on their faces. This was, after all, the first win of any of Spurs pre-season friendlies to date!

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